Oct 17, 2018 — Moving pallets from one corner of a warehouse to another can be taxing and mundane for human workers. But a new generation of autonomous industrial forklifts is making quick work of the job and sidelining human drivers, freeing them to do more...

Aug 23, 2018 — The freeform optic. It has captured the imagination of optical designers, given its excellent performance and the ease with which it can be integrated into today’s optical systems. But manufacturing freeform optics is a tricky proposition and has...

Jul 31, 2018 — In 2017, Qualcomm announced the winners of the much-publicized Tricorder XPRIZE, which challenged inventors to develop a device that could replicate the function of the tricorder in the “Star Trek” television series. The fictional gadget was used by...

Jun 4, 2018 — We were saddened to learn of the passing of retired managing editor Charlie Troy in May at age 81, after a brief illness. Charlie began his career here in 1983, working first as senior editor and ultimately managing editor, a position he held until...

May 29, 2018 — The smart home. What once would have been chalked up to the stuff of science fiction is fast becoming reality, thanks to an array of internet-connected systems that monitor and control lighting, security cameras, and entertainment. IoT systems let...

Mar 28, 2018 — The last few decades have seen the laser assume a pivotal and unique role on the battlefield, from aiding the precise delivery of munitions to jamming optical trackers and countering IR-guided missiles. The rise of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is...

Feb 27, 2018 — Artificial intelligence. Data analytics. Machine Learning. IoT. These megatrends are transforming how we live. And thanks to better fiber, smaller cables and more efficient transceivers, the industry has been able to keep pace with the increasing...

Jan 26, 2018 — Turbulence. It’s one of the leading causes of concern for anxious flyers. If you’ve ever flown, there’s a good chance you’ve been warned to fasten your seat belt or had a beverage spill as you’ve weathered a bumpy ride....

Dec 27, 2017 — It’s been quite a run for SPIE’s Eugene Arthurs. At the helm of SPIE for 18 years, Arthurs is stepping down, having witnessed unprecedented expansion of the photonics industry during his tenure. Consider this: The year he started —...

Dec 1, 2017 — The virtual and augmented reality worlds are in a quandary. Tens of billions of dollars have been spent on developing systems that many expected to follow a similar growth trajectory as the smartphone. Although virtual reality (VR) headsets can be...

Oct 30, 2017 — Specialty lighting applications in the entertainment and architectural sectors often require high-luminance sources. Vehicle lighting and projection displays require precise beam shaping and spatial beam modulation. The first choice for these...

Oct 3, 2017 — It’s no wonder that researchers and manufacturers alike are enamored by organic materials. They’re inexpensive, have a low environmental impact and can be manufactured onto wearable substrates. That makes them well suited for everything...

Aug 29, 2017 — Think duct tape, the ubiquitous fix-all. Or EpiPens, the auto-injecting, life-saving epinephrine syringes, which first appeared on the battlefield to protect troops from chemical and nerve agents. Amazing inventions that are barely the tip of the...

Jul 26, 2017 — Cases of food fraud — some of which cause serious illness and death — are a global issue. Forty-seven people died in 2012 in the Czech Republic after drinking spirits spiked with methanol. Tens of thousands of infants were hospitalized...

Jun 28, 2017 — There’s little doubt that when it comes to autonomous vehicles, the question isn’t if … but when. The high-profile legal battle between this generation’s version of the yellow cab, Uber, and Waymo, the autonomous car unit...

Mar 22, 2017 — As is the case with so many technological innovations of the 20th century, it was the defense sector that helped bring the laser to life. As recounted in Optics and Photonics: Essential Technologies for Our Nation, “much of the research that...

Feb 1, 2017 — Last April, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled his 10-year roadmap for Facebook. According to the plan, users of the popular social media channel can expect to see an increase in the use of high-definition video and a more prominent role for apps like...